UToledo CAL eNewsletter

CAL News and Events

September 2023 – Issue 27

NEXT ISSUE: October 2023

SHAPIRO LECTURE TO FEATURE SOCIAL ACTIVIST REVEREND DR. WILLIAM J. BARBER II

Reverend Dr William J Barber II and UToledo College of Arts and Letters log

The Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II is one of the most prominent modern-day social activists. He is the guest speaker for the 2023 Edward Shapiro Lecture. In 2018, Barber co-anchored a relaunch of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1968 Poor People's Campaign to carry on King's legacy of justice and equity.

Barber has dedicated his life to advocacy, serving as president of the North Carolina NAACP and on the NAACP's National Board of Directors. He is also the founder of Repairers of the Breach, an organization dedicated to equipping communities to mobilize social change. Admission and parking are free.

Visit the lecture website for details.

ARTS AND LETTERS FACULTY LAUNCH PODCAST

Ally Day and Rebecca Monteleone (Disability studies Program) have launched a WGTE podcast. A new episode of "Telling it Our Way" airs every two weeks. It features stories written and performed by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The show tackles topics from romantic relationships to work, family to grief. These are real stories from real people who don’t want pity and don’t exist to inspire you. Each episode focuses on a different theme and features at least two guests.

Telling It Our Way is part of "Voices Around Us," a WGTE-initiative featuring new voices and stories from our community. Past episodes are available on the WGTE website.

CAL DEBUTS INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL PROGRAM

FOR STUDENTS

UToledo CAL students on a Global Fellows trip to Sorrento Italy

Thanks to the generosity of supporters Tom and Susan Palmer, the College of Arts and Letters was able to debut an exciting new co-curricular program this year that is destined to change student lives and profoundly impact their success.

The Palmer Global Fellows fund opens the door to transformative global travel experiences for all CAL students. Through the fund, every first-year student in CAL can obtain a passport, which serves as their entry into a lifelong journey of exploring new countries.

The fund also supports the “Palmer Global Fellows,” a smaller, competitively selected cohort of student leaders who learn to integrate global travel into their academic degree progress. This unique four-year program is specifically designed to prioritize students with exceptional leadership potential, aiming to equip them with the necessary skills and experiences to succeed in an interconnected world.

This year, Associate Professor Dr. Ammon Allred led the inaugural Fellows trip to Sorento, Italy, where students experienced arts, culture, food, and sites of historic importance. For more details about their trip, visit the Global Fellows we bpage.

POLITICAL SCIENCE SERIES RETURNS:

GREAT DECISIONS IN FOREIGN POLICY

UToledo clock tower in background international flags in the foreground

The UToledo Department of Political Science and Public Administration is hosting its annual foreign policy series this fall. Lecture topics include "War Crimes," "Global Famine," and "Latin American Politics," as well as the global political arena examining the competition between the U.S. and international heavyweights, Russia and China. For a complete list of dates and topics, visit the lecture series website. All lectures will be held at the Toledo Lucas County Public Library main branch in downtown Toledo.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Digerati Animation Festival Now through Oct. 15 Center for the Visual Arts Main Gallery

Great decisions in Foreign Policy Series War Crimes with speaker Megan Mattimoe Monday Sept 11 at 530 pm at the Toledo Lucas County Library Main Branch

2023 Edward Shapiro Distinguished Lecture with speaker ReverendDr. William J. Barber II, Thursday, Sept 14 at 7 p.m. in University Hall, Doermann Theatre, UToledo main campus

Great Decisions Series: GLOBAL FAMINE Sept. 18 at 5:30 p.m. Speaker: Jetsabe Caceres, Ph. D. (Department of Political Science and Public Administration) Toledo Lucas County Public Library, Downtown Toledo

WGST Student Research Showcase Sept. 25 from 2:30 - 4 p.m. Topics: Objectification of Women in Pornography; Sex Education; and Female Friendships University Hall Room 4280

Great Decisions Series: IRAN AND WOMEN’S RIGHTS AT A CROSSROADS Sept. 25 at 5:30 p.m. Speaker: Asma Abdel Halim, Ph. D. (WGST) Toledo Lucas County Public Library, Downtown Toledo

UToledo Department of Geography and Planning 60th Anniversary Open House Noon-2 p.m. at Snyder Memorial Room 3066 RSVP by Sept. 22

PARKING

A visitor parking permit is required to park on campus for most events. Check event details. Visit parkutoledo.com to purchase a parking permit.

MORE EVENTS

CAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

PUBLISHING AND CREATIVE WORK

John Sarnecki (Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies) published a book, "The Wisdom of the World’s Religions" (Orbis, December 2022). He also published an article, "Living Christ: A Spiritual Reading of the Gospels" (Liturgical Press, March 2023). Sarnecki also joined a research group with the Vatican’s Office of Interreligious Affairs.

Deborah Orloff (Department of Art) will be part of the Louisville Photo Biennial. Her work will be shown at the University of Louisville's Cressman Center for Visual Arts. The biennial encompasses more than 50 venues, working together to celebrate the medium and art of photography.

Eric Zeigler (Department of Art) had work included in the Landscape 2023 International Photography Exhibition, Glasgow Gallery of Photography, Glasgow, Scotland (March 2023).

AWARDS

Steinway & Sons will induct Dr. Michael Boyd (Department of Music) into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame in a formal ceremony later this year. In its official announcement, Steinway & Sons stated: “Your passionate commitment to teaching and inspiring young people in their study of piano is commendable and rare. Through your efforts, you help students lay the foundation for a lifetime of musical and artistic expression.” For the past 30+ years, Boyd has developed and graduated numerous outstanding and successful pianists-musicians from UToledo, while also giving of his talents at national/international workshops, competitions, and guest artist appearances.

The University of Toledo has nominated CAL grad student, Kennedy Lovell, for the Division I NCAA Woman of the Year Award. She received her bachelor’s degrees in English and communications from UToledo in 2022 and is currently working towards a master’s degree in literature. Lovell earned second-team All-MAC honors and served as Toledo's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president in 2022-23.

Several CAL faculty received grants when The University of Toledo’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs announced its spring 2023 University Research Funding Opportunities awards.

Melissa Baltus Zych (Department of Sociology and Anthropology) received a grant from the Archaeological Research Fund for exploring the western edges of the Toledo area's long-lost Fort Miamis.

The following faculty received Research Awards and Fellowships:

Ayendy Bonifacio (Department of English) for Paratextuality in Anglophone and Hispanophone Poems (1855-1901).
Daniel Compora (Department of English) for Talking Baseball: The Changing Role of Oral Traditions in America’s Pastime.
Joseph Gamble (Department of English) for trans philologies.
Clarissa Ong (Department of Psychology) for Examining Individual Networks in Context: How Does Responding Change Across Contexts?
Parama Sarkar (Department of English) for Empire State of Mind: Colonial nostalgia, Orientalist fantasy, and the Crisis of National Identity in British cultural production (2000-2020).

In the final official meeting of the 2022-23 Faculty Senate, three Senate committee chairs were recognized for their extraordinary leadership and service to The University of Toledo. They are Deborah Coulter-Harris and Anthony Edgington (Department of English Language and Literature), and Patrick Lawrence (Department of Geography and Planning).

For a complete list of recent achievements, visit our website.

MEDIA APPEARANCES

The Blade: Hands On: Is Left Handedness by Choice or Chance? Advantage or Disadvantage?

Stephen Christman (Department of Psychology) discusses the science behind being left-handed.

WTOL 11: A Moment or a Movement?

Monita Mungo (Department of Sociology and Anthropology) discusses the 2020 racial reckoning brought on by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and how its impact resonates today.

The Blade: Feeling Forgetful? Experts Say Short-term Memory Lapses Actually Serve a Purpose

Stephen Christman (Department of Psychology) explains how memory works and why some information isn't retained in our long-term memory.

The Blade: Toledo Gears Up to Celebrate Juneteenth

Monita Mungo (Department of Sociology and Anthropology) discusses the history of Juneteenth prior to its designation as a federal holiday and the impact of its new national recognition.

Reuters: AB InBev, Molson Coors Dent U.S. Craft Beer Competition With Cheaper Six-packs

Neil Reid (Department of Geography and Planning) discusses how inflation is benefitting major multinational brewers.

WTOL 11: Former President Trump Arraigned in Florida

Sam Nelson (Department of Political Science and Public Administration) discusses the criminal charges former President Donald Trump is facing in connection with his handling of classified documents.

Reuters: Modelo Especial Tops Bud Light as Most-sold US Beer for Second Consecutive Month

Neil Reid (Department of Geography and Planning) discusses Bud Light’s fall from the No. 1 beer in the United States.

13 ABC: See Storytelling This Weekend at TMA

Rebecca Monteleone (Disability Studies Program) discusses an upcoming community story-telling event for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Yahoo Finance: Bud Light Backlash: Why Those Beer Drinkers May Not Come Back

Neil Reid (Department of Geography and Planning) explains why Bud Light may not be able to lure back consumers who left the brand behind as part of a conservative boycott.

Toledo City Paper: Life is a Work of Art for Toledo Jazz Artist Ellie Martin

Ellie Martin (Department of Music) talks about her debut album "Verdant."

WTOL 11: Why Didn’t Issue 1 Pass?

Sam Nelson (Department of Political Science and Public Administration) explains how opponents of state Issue 1 were able to successfully turn out voters for Tuesday’s special election.

WTOL 11: First Republican Debate Held Tonight

Sam Nelson (Department of Political Science and Public Administration) breaks down the potential impact of the first GOP debate, which notably did not include frontrunner Donald Trump.

The Blade: UT's Latin American and Latinx minor enters its third year

Charles Beatty-Medina (Department of History) and a faculty working group introduced the Latin American and Latinx minor, where one can take courses that overlap with the humanities and the social sciences with a focus on Latin America and Latinx communities in the United States.

WebMD: Fall Vaccines: What to Know about Flu, COVID, RSV Shots

Andrew Geers (Department of Psychology) and his research were featured in a WebMd article. Geers' research studied the impact of social media communication with friends on the reporting of vaccine side effects.

For more faculty media appearances, visit our website.

UTOLEDO COLLEGE OF ARTS AND LETTERS